The morning sun had just risen over the Senju Clan Compound.
"Don't go to the office today," Tsunade said, looking at Aoki as he got up and dressed, her tone soft and pleading. "Take a day off, okay?"
Aoki's heart was still lingering on the warmth and intimacy of the previous night. After a moment of silent contemplation, he suppressed the stirrings in his chest, draped on his Hokage robe, and spoke with increasing resolve: "I am the Hokage. I must lead by example! What kind of Hokage would skip work?"
Hearing this, Tsunade couldn't help but roll her eyes, then deliberately struck a seductive pose to tease him. Aoki had intended to head to his office, but seeing her like this, his mind momentarily swayed, and he forgot his duties.
Seeing his reaction, Tsunade instead laughed and urged him, "Weren't you going to the office? Stop fooling around. As the Hokage, you must lead by example. Go on."
Aoki's cheeks flushed slightly from her teasing. Setting aside any pretense of solemnity, he feigned anger: "How dare you mock me! Just wait and see how I deal with you, you little mischief-maker!" With that, he leaned down to playfully wrestle with her again.
After such intimacy, when Aoki finally looked up, he was startled to realize it was already afternoon. Tsunade was utterly exhausted, her body limp, unwilling to even lift a finger.
Seeing her state, Aoki simply settled Tsunade in the resting quarters of the Hokage's office before pushing open the door to the work area. As soon as he entered, he was met with Minato's resentful expression. The mountain of paperwork that had been piled up was now completely handled by Minato, neatly stacked to the side.
As the Hokage, arriving so late, Aoki gave an awkward chuckle and quickly stepped forward to deal with the remaining trivial matters: "Sorry, sorry! I ran into a lost old lady on the way, and after helping her home, a black cat blocked my path. It took quite a while to sort out."
Hearing this excuse, Minato sighed helplessly and rolled his eyes: "Lord Hokage, please don't start copying Kakashi. Next time you make up an excuse, at least make it believable."
Aoki looked embarrassed and couldn't help scratching his head. After the joking, it was time for serious business. To further strengthen Konoha's power, they had to act early. Half a year was far too tight a timeframe.
"Minato, notify the clan heads of all the major clans to come to the Hokage Building for a meeting immediately!" Aoki's expression turned serious as he gave the order in a low voice.
Minato knew this must involve a major plan for discussion. He immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique and vanished. Meanwhile, Sakumo Hatake quickly walked over to Aoki's side.
"Sakumo, the Anbu's top priority recently is to closely monitor the movements of the other four nations. Report any signs of activity immediately," Aoki instructed.
Sakumo nodded in acknowledgment and turned to arrange the deployment. At this moment, Konoha operated like a precisely tuned machine, swift and decisive in its actions.
Soon, the various clan heads received Aoki's summons. None dared to delay upon receiving the notice and immediately set off for the Hokage Building. Hyuga Hiashi of the Hyuga clan and Uchiha Fugaku of the Uchiha Clan were the first to arrive.
"You two are quite fast," Aoki remarked calmly.
"Haha, not as fast as the Hyuga clan head," Uchiha Fugaku joked with a smile. Now, with Aoki's support, the Uchiha Clan's status was no longer what it used to be; they stood firmly on the Hokage's side.
Competition among Konoha's major clans was inevitable, as healthy rivalry drives progress. However, the Hyuga clan couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. The Uchiha clan had already produced two geniuses who had become disciples of the Hokage, putting them far ahead. For the Hyuga clan to catch up, they would need to put in considerable effort.
Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Hinata were steadily advancing toward becoming pillars of Konoha.
The heads of the two prominent clans arrived first, followed closely by the leaders of the other clans. The Ino-Shika-Cho Trio had always been staunch supporters of the Hokage and consistently followed Aoki's instructions. Clans such as the Aburame, Inuzuka, and Kurama also quickly gathered at the Hokage Building.
"I wonder why the Hokage has summoned us today," one clan head pondered quietly.
"Who knows? We'll just follow the Hokage's lead," another replied softly.
"Well said. We'll follow the Hokage's orders," a third clan head chimed in.
Soon, the clan heads gathered in the Hokage's office, filled with curiosity and a hint of unease.
"Hokage-sama."
"Hokage-sama."
Everyone entered and bowed respectfully. Aoki nodded in acknowledgment to each of them. Once everyone was present, Aoki glanced at Minato, signaling him to begin.
Minato promptly brought out a world map and spread it before the group. Seeing this, the clan heads felt a wave of apprehension—unfolding a map like this could only mean something significant was about to happen.
Sure enough, Aoki's next words sent a shock through every clan head present.
"Everyone, regarding the small nations around us..."
Aoki's gaze swept over the group as he asked in a serious tone, "What are your thoughts on them?"
Hearing this, the expressions on everyone's faces varied. Martial clans like the Uchiha were eager and ready for action, with Uchiha Fugaku's eyes gleaming with anticipation. However, most clans were reluctant to start a conflict, as Konoha had no deep-seated grudges against these small nations.
Seeing their hesitation, Aoki continued calmly, "These small nations have long been obstacles to Konoha's development. During major conflicts, they serve as buffer zones for the great nations to vie for influence. But have any of you considered what these small nations did during the First and Second Shinobi World Wars? They betrayed Konoha and kicked us while we were down at our most vulnerable moments. Once Konoha overcame its hardships, they bowed their heads in submission to protect themselves. I truly cannot understand why Sarutobi Hiruzen tolerated these opportunists, allowing them to flip-flop repeatedly."
After Aoki's words, some clan heads from smaller clans that had later pledged allegiance to Konoha exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to respond. Only a few clans like the Uchiha, who had been rooted in Konoha since its founding, understood the situation. Uchiha Fugaku and others exchanged knowing looks, already guessing Aoki's intentions.
Aoki's gaze swept over the group once more, his tone growing colder and more resolute. "These small nations are nothing more than opportunistic followers. During the two Great Ninja Wars, they shifted with the wind and struck at Konoha at critical moments. Now, it's time for them to pay the price for their fickleness. Uchiha clan, you will take the lead in this endeavor!"
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